International Law in Practice

Practice reifies and animates international law, shaping what it means, how it is applied, and how effectively it achieves the diverse goals of those who invoke it. Practice is constitutive and contentious. It looks both backward and forward.

The 2018 Annual Meeting will focus on international law in action: how and by whom international law is made, shaped, and carried out, both formally and informally; how it is taught; how the practices of international institutions, law firms, companies, not-for-profit organizations, government offices, and militaries generate international rules; how and in what ways states and other actors interact; and how participants deploy international legal arguments. The meeting will consider how international legal practice has changed and is continuing to change in response to geopolitical shifts and contemporary challenges, including demands for greater transparency, accountability, legitimacy, and inclusion.

At its 112th Annual Meeting, the American Society of International Law invites policymakers, practitioners, academics across the disciplinary spectrum, and students to reflect on the broad manifestations, sources, and implications of international legal practice.

Call for Session Proposals

A full schedule of Annual Meeting sessions, titles, and speakers may be found under the "Schedule" tab. A detailed list of session descriptions and speakers may be found under the "Sessions by Track" tab.

Alka Pradhan, Guantanamo Bay Military Commissions, U.S. Department of Defense

Ashika Singh, Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP

Michel Paradis, U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Chief Defense Counsel

Rebecca Ingber, Boston University School of Law (moderator)

Third Annual Detlev F. Vagts Roundtable on Transnational Law

Raphael Lemkin and the Practice of International Criminal Law

Michael Bryant, Bryant University

David Crowe, Chapman University

Warda Henning, United Nations Office of Political Affairs (moderator)

Peter Roudik, U.S. Library of Congress

Jenia Turner, Southern Methodist University School of Law

Interest Group business meetings

1:00-2:30 p.m.
Hudson Medal Luncheon

Hudson Medal Honoree: Peter Trooboff, Covington & Burling LLP

Moderator: Harold Koh, Yale Law School

The Role of Non-State Actors in Implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change

Ashley Allen, Mars Inc.

Susan Biniaz, United Nations Foundation

Cinnamon Carlarne, Ohio State University School of Law (moderator)

Robert Orr, University of Maryland

Sue Reid, Ceres

Humanitarian Access in Armed Conflict

Tracey Begley, International Committee of the Red Cross (moderator)

Michael Bothe , University of Frankfurt

Jeremy Konyndyk, Center for Global Development

Dustin Lewis, Harvard Law School

Nathalie Weizmann, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The Practice of Judging

David Bigge, U.S. Department of State (moderator)

Christopher Greenwood, Former Judge, International Court of Justice

Holger Hestermeyer, King's College London

Kim Prost, International Criminal Court

Garth Schofield, Permanent Court of Arbitration

Eduardo Silva Romero, Dechert LLP

Philippa Webb, King's College London

New Approaches to International Rule of Law Assistance

Alejandro Alvarez, Executive Office of the Secretary-General, United Nations

Ian Hurd, Northwestern Law

Ghizaal Haress, Afghan International Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution of Afghanistan (ICOIC)

Christina Murray, United Nations' Department of Political Affairs Mediation Support Standby Team

Astrid Wiik, University of Hamburg (moderator)

Frauke Lachenmann, University of Hamburg (moderator)

Interest Group business meetings

3:00-4:30 p.m.
The Future of International Trade Law Practice

Adjudicators, Negotiators, and the Evolution of Maritime Delimitation Law

Ronny Abraham, International Court of Justice

Damos Dumoli Agusman, Directorate General of International Law & Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia

Judge Jin-Hyun Paik, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

Allison Macdonald, Matrix Chambers

Alina Miron (moderator), Angers University Faculty of Law

Bernie Oxman, University of Miami School of Law

Rule-Making by International Organizations

José Alvarez, New York University School of Law

Nicola Bonucci, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

Gian Luca Burci, Graduate Institute of Geneva (moderator)

Tomi Kohiyama, ILO

Mary Saunders, ANSI

International Law in Domestic Courts IG substantive session

ASIL Mid-West IG substantive session

Interest Group business meetings

5:00-6:00 p.m. Friday Keynote

6:00-7:30 p.m. Friday reception

Saturday, April 7, 2018

9:00-10:30 a.m.Legal Education and Professional Training in the Culture(s) of International Law

Bryant Garth, UC Irvine School of Law

Lucy Reed, National University of Singapore Faculty of Law

Natalie Reid, Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP

Anthea Roberts, Australian National University (moderator)

Carole Silver, Northwestern University School of Law

Space Law IG substantive session

Government Attorneys IG substantive session

Human Rights IG substantive session

Foreign (Terrorist) Fighters: Prospects and Challenges

David DeBartolo, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Sandra Krähenmann, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Moira Macmillan, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK

Vincent-Joël Proulx, National University of Singapore (moderator)

Interest Group business meetings

11:00-12:30 p.m.
Closing Plenary - The Future of Multilateralism

Historically, multilateralism has defined the practice and the promise of international law. The Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907 produced a new treaty-based system of multilateral guarantees for peace and cooperation. After the Second World War, the multilateral system expanded to include newly independent post-colonial states. Today, however, multilateralism is under pressure. States and commentators exhibit skepticism about multilateral instruments. Multilateral regimes can appear bureaucratic and legalistic when compared to more flexible, bilateral arrangements, and trust in multilateral institutions has been eroded.

Have we reached the limits of multilateralism? This closing plenary of the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law takes a close look at the modern history of multilateralism to assess its future. How will a decline in multilateralism affect existing guarantees for peaceful cooperation and international commercial relations? What have multilateral institutions achieved? What do they do best, and what can we learn from their failures? Are there areas in which multilateralism is making gains?

The city of The Hague has borne witness to the historic challenges and successes of multilateralism, as host to some of the most consequential multilateral institutions of the past, and home to more than 200 international organizations today. This plenary will bring together leading experts to address the effectiveness and utility of multilateral institutions and approaches, and the prospects for their renewal.

12:30-1:30 p.m.Closing Reception

Session Titles:

International Arbitration in the Asia-Pacific: Prospects and challenges of a dynamic and growing field
International arbitration developments and practice in Asia have not received the attention they deserve given the growth of the field in that region during recent years. At the turn of the 21st century, international arbitration has flourished and prospered across Asia, and within its major jurisdictions. The increasing importance of arbitration coincides with the growing cross-border investment in Asia. Investment continues to flow in from both Asian economies and Western developed economies. The capital inflow is accelerated by China's initiatives such as the Belt and Road Policy ("One Belt One Road") and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. This session seeks to shed light on the practice of international arbitration in the region with a focus on international commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration, both of which are crucial dispute resolution vehicles to settle cross-border investment disputes. Issues to be discussed include: 1) rules and practice of prominent international arbitration institutions in the region; 2) rules of applicable investment agreements; 3) practice of commercial and investment treaty arbitration in the settlement of cross-border investment disputes in the region; 4) local business participation in arbitration (perception evaluation); 5) governments' positions on international arbitration; 6) possibility of mediation and other dispute resolution options, including the proposed Investment Court System; and 7) some predictions into the future, including impact on other regions.

Confirmed Speakers

Yuka Fukunaga, Waseda University

Liz Kyo-Hwa, Chung Kim & Chang

Guiguo Wang, Tulane University Law School

Jarrod Wong, McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific (moderator)

Ling Yang, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre

Intractable Conflicts: The effectiveness of international dispute resolution mechanisms
Some of the most challenging international conflicts relate to territory, sovereignty, and self-determination. Abyei, Cyprus, Kashmir, Palestine, and Western Sahara are some examples of conflicts that continue to threaten international peace, security, and human rights, despite efforts to use international dispute settlement processes to resolve them. To what extent is international law effective in resolving these disputes? What is the impact on the system of international dispute resolution when judicial decisions and arbitral awards do not resolve the underlying conflict? What happens when parties reject litigation outcomes, or use other mechanisms to frustrate their enforcement? Are there certain political questions that should simply be left out of courts and tribunals? Is the current framework for international dispute resolution inadequate for certain types of conflicts? Do intractable conflicts compromise international law? And are there any benefits to seemingly failed attempts at resolving conflicts through international law? During this session, panelists will use practical examples to answer these and other questions related to intractable conflicts. They will also explore mechanisms that may be used to bolster and supplement the current system of international dispute resolution so that it may be better positioned to resolve intractable conflicts.

ISDS at a Crossroads: How the Settlement of Investor-State Disputes is Being Transformed
The requests for reforms to the investor-state dispute settlement system have been mounting and they are wide-ranging. In October 2016, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes announced the beginning of an amendment process intended "to modernize the rules based on case experience." In July 2017, states voted to put the issue of reforming investor-state dispute settlement on UNCITRAL's agenda for multilateral negotiations. States, NGOs, international organizations, private actors, the media, and the public at large have been seized of the matter. During this session, representatives from a number of these sectors will consider where reform stands, whether current efforts are enough to address the myriad concerns, and how much real transformation can be expected given the diversity of perspectives of states on the ideal nature of reform.

Confirmed Speakers

Colin Brown, European Commission

Kekeletso Mashigo, Department of Trade & Industry, South Africa

Andrea Menaker, White & Case LLP (moderator)

Lisa Sachs, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

The Practice of Judging
How judges and arbitrators in international courts and tribunals do or ought to judge are perennial topics. Do they umpire or legislate? How do they treat precedent or jurisprudence constante in the absence of a rule of stare decisis or where "the law" is thin, unstable, or contested? What are the uses and abuses of applicable law to delimit jurisdiction? The questions retain their currency because the answers change relative to ongoing developments in law, institutions, and world affairs. In a roundtable discussion with leading judges, arbitrators, advocates, and institutional administrators, this session focuses on the practice and practicalities of judging today, including recent developments in procedural rules and the conduct of proceedings, whether the sovereign nature of the litigants is or should be reflected in procedural rules and the conduct of proceedings, and the extent to which commercial litigation and arbitration practice has influenced (for good or for ill) the conduct of state-to-state or individual-state proceedings on the international plane. Finally, the panelists will consider the identity of those judging international law. Is this changing significantly and does it make a difference?

Confirmed Speakers

David Bigge, U.S. Department of State (moderator)

Christopher Greenwood, Former Judge, International Court of Justice

Holger Hestermeyer, King's College London

Kim Prost, International Criminal Court

Garth Schofield, Permanent Court of Arbitration

Eduardo Silva Romero, Dechert LLP

Philippa Webb, King's College London

Criminalization and International Human Rights
Human rights advocacy has increasingly invoked criminal law at the international and national levels as a remedy for the harms that constitute "gender based violence" (i.e., domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation, all of which are now under many circumstances deemed a human rights violations). At the same time, human rights are used to protect individuals from the abuse of state power. While the human rights and criminal law nexus, most visible in criminal reform around sex, gender, and reproduction, may be regarded as both a "shield and sword," there is a lack of attention to, and assessment of, the implications of taking these two approaches together. On the practical level, human rights groups may work at cross purposes, as few organizations have the expertise, resources, and reach to attend to both calls to prosecute perpetrators and the protection of the rights of defendants. At the normative level, there are few articulated human rights principles for evaluating when penal responses are appropriate and for what kinds of harm. This roundtable of practitioners and scholars will discuss how human rights has become comfortable with prosecution as a tool to vindicate rights and the implications of this alliance.

Confirmed Speakers

Aziza Ahmed, Northeastern University School of Law

Carrie Eisert, Amnesty International

Ali Miller, Yale Law School (moderator)

Building Victim-Led Coalitions in the Pursuit of Accountability
In situations of mass atrocity, interdisciplinary coalitions are organically forming, collaborating to press for justice, and developing creative strategies to hold heads of state accountable for crimes against humanity. Through conversations with legal and non-legal experts, this session will explore the contexts in which victim associations, lawyers, journalists, human rights activists, diplomats, and others have worked together to seek justice for mass atrocity and human rights abuses. The session will also be an opportunity to hear from and about local justice actors from mass atrocity situations who will share their successes and challenges. By including participants at different stages of the justice and accountability process, the discussion will have a practical focus on exploring the most effective ways for victims to drive accountability and justice processes and will draw out some best practices for supporting victim-led advocacy efforts. Panelists may also address considerations such as the degree to which victims should be at the center of accountability efforts following mass atrocity, and how they should be involved in reparations processes. Drawing on the experience of actors across the globe, this session offers lawyers the opportunity to engage with the vital and often overlooked work of non-lawyers in the effort to secure justice and accountability. The discussion will explore how lawyers can best help to form strong interdisciplinary coalitions, and the ways in which the legal community can amplify the voices of diverse partners in seeking accountability in the context of human rights violations.

Confirmed Speakers

Mario Cordoba, Victim Advocate

Souleymane Guengueng, Victim & activist

Diane Orentlicher, American University Washington College of Law

Kathy Roberts, The Transitional Justice Clinic

New Technologies in International Criminal and Human Rights Investigations and Fact-Finding
Human rights fact-finding and criminal investigations have entered a period of technological innovation. As the documentation of violations and abuses becomes more difficult and complex, practitioners find themselves undertaking cross-disciplinary efforts, engaging new experts and new technologies. Social media, accessible satellite data, new applications, and drone technology have expanded the tools of fact-finders, at a time when access to sites of atrocities or abuses is more difficult and the security of investigators is at higher risk. Human rights researchers have worked hard to keep pace with technological innovation, and to use technology to more quickly and widely disseminate findings in an effort to advocate for accountability and international response as the abuses occur, and with the goal of accountability through courts in the future. While technological advances can assist in documentation and increasing public confidence in the veracity of information, accountability through international criminal law mechanisms requires data to meet evidentiary standards, many of which do not account for rapid innovations in technology. Underlying these developments are new ethical considerations that technology raises. This session will look at the question of technological innovation from the perspective of experts with technological expertise supporting international investigations, academics monitoring the rise and challenges of technology, and justice sector officials who will have to grapple with technology-generated data in court proceedings.

Confirmed Speakers

Molly Land, University of Connecticut School of Law (moderator)

Ella McPherson, University of Cambridge

Brad Samuels, SITU Studios

Raphael Lemkin and the Practice of International Criminal Law
This panel will use the figure of Raphael Lemkin, the influential jurist who coined the term "genocide," to focus on international criminal law in action, that is, how the practice of international criminal law in the early to mid-1900s shaped Lemkin's legal thinking and, in turn, how Lemkin influenced the practice of criminal law during this period. The panelists will examine Lemkin's life, practice, and legacy from different perspectives, including history, law, and pedagogy, to consider the ways in which international criminal legal practice has changed and is continuing to change in response to geopolitical shifts and contemporary challenges to the law's legitimacy and relevance. Through its exploration of Lemkin and his ideas, the panel will address various themes relevant to the migration of ideas and concepts in the study and practice of international law and to the function of practitioners in shaping international law in diverse legal traditions and in different periods in history. These will include Lemkin's influence on the post-World War II Polish national war crimes trials for genocide and the role played by law teachers and state officials in constituting international law through their teaching of Lemkin.

Confirmed Speakers

Michael Bryant, Bryant University

David Crowe, Chapman University

Warda Henning, United Nations Office of Political Affairs (moderator)

Peter Roudik, U.S. Library of Congress

Jenia Turner, Southern Methodist University School of Law

Legal Education and Professional Training in the Culture(s) of International Law
Legal scholarship has provided historical accounts of differing national and regional approaches to international law, including the gradual ascendance of a dominant Western approach and the emergence of new discourses in what was once considered the periphery. New scholarship also draws attention to the role of different approaches to legal education in establishing and perhaps challenging international law orthodoxies. This discussion—involving academics who have studied this phenomenon; educators who have contributed both to divergent approaches and to possible means of mitigating them; and leaders in global legal practice who have observed and assisted in the training of international lawyers from different cultures—will consider, from both Western and non-Western perspectives, the significance of global differences in legal education and professional training of international lawyers, their evolution over time, and their impact on the practice and efficacy of international law.

Confirmed Speakers

Bryant Garth, UC Irvine School of Law

Lucy Reed, National University of Singapore Faculty of Law

Natalie Reid, Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP

Anthea Roberts, Australian National University (moderator)

Carole Silver, Northwestern University School of Law

New Approaches to International Rule of Law Assistance
Commitment to the rule of law is of paramount importance to transnational and domestic institutions. This panel seeks to discuss the limits of current rule of law efforts at the international and national level, and to present avenues for reform. Panel members will discuss approaches to international rule of law assistance and mechanisms for measuring the effectiveness of such assistance. The session will examine the growing prevalence of international, state, and non-governmental organizations in rule of law assistance as they face diverging socio-political and security conditions. The speakers will explore the prospect of a new approach to rule of law assistance and the ways through which recipients as well as granting institutions coordinate efforts and establish standards in areas related to the justice sector (such as in the governance of anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and access to justice for persons, including women, minorities, and juveniles) and the public administration sector (such as in relation to property rights, the intersection of domestic and international policymaking, and management of natural resources).

Confirmed Speakers

Alejandro Alvarez, Executive Office of the Secretary-General, United Nations

Ian Hurd, Northwestern Law

Ghizaal Haress, Afghan International Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution of Afghanistan (ICOIC)

Christina Murray, United Nations' Department of Political Affairs Mediation Support Standby Team

Astrid Wiik, University of Hamburg (moderator)

Frauke Lachenmann, University of Hamburg (moderator)

Law of War Military Commissions: Lawful and Worth It?
The U.S. government is more than 15 years into its effort to try terrorism-related cases in law of war military commissions at its base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. With four of eight convictions overturned on appeal, two further appeals pending, and charges pending in six additional cases, the proceedings continue to raise questions at the intersection of domestic and international law that are unsettled in U.S. courts. These questions speak to the legality of the military commissions under both legal systems as well as to the commissions' legitimacy and utility. In this session, practitioners and scholars will engage in a moderated debate on two of the central jurisdictional questions still facing the commissions, on which the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule. First, the following two propositions will be debated: (1) Law of war military commissions can be used to prosecute offenses based on alleged conduct prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001; and (2) Offenses not recognized as offenses against the law of war under international law can be tried by a law of war military commission. Finally, panelists will debate a third policy-focused proposition: It is no longer useful to maintain military commissions to try terrorism-related offenses. At the conclusion of the debate, the audience will vote in favor of or against each proposition. The debate will be followed by a moderated question and answer session with the scholars and practitioners, open to audience participation.

Confirmed Speakers

Alka Pradhan, Guantanamo Bay Military Commissions, U.S. Department of Defense

Ashika Singh, Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP

Michel Paradis, U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Chief Defense Counsel

Rebecca Ingber, Boston University School of Law (moderator)

The Counselor in International Law
This session seeks to address some of the issues surrounding the role of the counselor by bringing together a wide range of perspectives from legal counselors of different countries and international organizations. At the intersection of domestic and international practice, counselors are called upon to provide an increasingly broad scope of legal counsel, prompting questions as to the scope and substance of appropriate internal advice and more importantly its receptivity among decision-makers. Legal counselors also face ethical dilemmas and questions about whether they have particular obligations to constituencies other than their immediate client. This panel will seek to discern best practices for legal counselors in conversation.

Confirmed Speakers

Sylvie Tabet, Trade Law Bureau, Government of Canada

Mahnoush Arsanjani, International Law Associates

Harold Koh, Yale Law School (moderator)

Stephen Preston, WilmerHale LLP

Noor Al Saud, Oxford University

Marcelo Vazquez-Bermudez, United Nations International Law Commission

"Aggressive" Peacekeeping in the 21st Century
Though traditionally defensive in nature, UN peacekeeping missions are increasingly receiving broader, more complex mandates, including the authority to use force under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. This new type of "aggressive" peacekeeping has raised questions about the legal frameworks applicable to peacekeeping operations, including questions related to offensive uses of force, involvement of peacekeepers in law enforcement operations, their engagement with irregular forces on the ground, their obligation to protect civilians, and the international legal protections that traditionally apply to peacekeepers as non-combatants. This panel will explore these questions through a discussion of the mandates and operations of various peacekeeping missions, including the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, among others.

Confirmed Speakers

Linda Etim, formerly, USAID and NSC

Mona Khalil, Independent Diplomats

Scott Lyons, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (moderator)

Bruce Oswald, University of Melbourne

Siobhán Wills, University of Ulster

Foreign (Terrorist) Fighters: Prospects and Challenges
In recent years, an unprecedented number of people have travelled abroad to fight or train with forces participating in armed conflicts. While "foreign fighters" are far from a new phenomenon, their increasingly perceived threat to regional and international peace and security led to the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014), which among other things requires states to seek to prevent the departure, entry, and transit of "foreign terrorist fighters." In implementing these Security Council imposed obligations, states encounter challenges resulting from the absence of a universally agreed definition of terrorism and the need to ensure coherence between counter-terrorism obligations and other relevant legal regimes. For example, the Security Council's "foreign terrorist fighter" regime interacts with, and is potentially limited by, human rights law, international humanitarian law, and domestic constitutional law. This panel will focus on the foreign (terrorist) fighters regime and its interaction with other legal regimes from the perspective of state practice, exploring resulting challenges to the coherence of other applicable bodies of law and the impact thereof on the successful achievement of the policy goals underlying the "foreign terrorist fighter" regime.

Confirmed Speakers

David DeBartolo, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Sandra Krähenmann, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Moira Macmillan, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK

Vincent-Joël Proulx, National University of Singapore (moderator)

Humanitarian Access in Armed Conflict
While primary responsibility for meeting the needs of the civilian population in times of armed conflict lies with the territorial State, millions of civilians around the world nevertheless depend on external emergency humanitarian relief to survive. Such relief is provided by a range of actors, acting on the basis of the core humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality, and independence. The physical environment within which these actors carry out their vital work is obviously a challenging one. Increasingly, the same can be said of the legal environment. This panel will explore the legal framework applicable to humanitarian relief operations in armed conflict, including international humanitarian law and counter-terrorism law, and identify the key legal issues that challenge the successful delivery of humanitarian relief in accordance with core humanitarian principles. In conversation with legal scholars and humanitarian relief actors, this panel will address the difficult issues around consent to relief operations (including who must consent and the circumstances under which consent is unlawfully withheld) and the "chilling effect" on relief operations arising out of territorial and donor state implementation of counter-terrorism law (including in respect of counter-terrorism procedural obligations and the interaction between "no support" obligations and the obligation to provide impartial humanitarian assistance without distinction).

Confirmed Speakers

Tracey Begley, International Committee of the Red Cross (moderator)

Michael Bothe , University of Frankfurt

Jeremy Konyndyk, Center for Global Development

Dustin Lewis, Harvard Law School

Nathalie Weizmann, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The Use of Force against Non-State Actors
The use of force against non-state actors (NSAs) has been the subject of considerable academic discussion, and the counter-ISIS military campaign in Syria represents a significant recent development with respect to State practice. In addition to the United States, a number of states have resorted to force against ISIS in Syria in individual self-defense and/or the collective self-defense of Iraq. While some of these states have explicitly invoked the "unable or unwilling" standard, others have cited Syria's lack of "effective control" over parts of its territory, to justify their military operations. The panel will examine this jus ad bellum issue through the lens of the counter-ISIS campaign. Panelists will address: whether the right to use force against NSAs is a new or emerging right, or simply one aspect of the "inherent" Article 51 right; the jus ad bellum significance of the counter-ISIS operations in Syria; the standard for assessing the lawfulness of the use of force in self-defense against non-state actors, and whether the different formulations presented in Article 51 letters to the UNSC represent substantively different legal standards.

Confirmed Speakers

Asif Amin, International Law Department, Ministry of Defence, Kingdom of Denmark

Katrina Cooper, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia

Paul McKell, United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Monica Hakimi, University of Michigan School of Law (moderator)

International Law as a Tool in the Fight against IUU Fishing and Seafood Slavery
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing operations – often tied to seafood slavery – compromise the health of the ocean and the livelihoods of millions around the world, and constitute an ongoing violation of national sovereignty. As noted by the World Wide Fund for Nature, 53% of the world's fisheries are already fully exploited and 32% are overexploited or depleted, including most of the top ten marine fisheries, and some of the world's worst IUU fishing is intimately connected with some of the world's worst human rights abuses. For decades, international criminal networks have benefited from the clandestine nature of fishing. Thanks to advances in technology, this situation is changing. Satellite data, in all its different forms, supplies information on fisheries activities that was previously not available to law enforcement. However, most legal frameworks at the domestic and international levels have not kept pace with technological progress, making it difficult for enforcement agencies to take advantage of new technology, and for judges and prosecutors to use this information as evidence of illegal activities. This panel will discuss potential developments in international and transnational law to address IUU and improve fisheries enforcement. In particular, it will consider the impact of the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Advisory Opinion regarding flag State obligations and responsibilities regarding IUU fishing, and several landmark national court cases brought against major corporations for seafood slavery and IUU fishing. Looking forward, the panel will ask what else international law can do to more effectively address the problems of IUU fishing and seafood slavery.

The Role of Non-State Actors in Implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
The Paris Agreement on climate change sets ambitious international goals for mitigating and adapting to climate change based on specific pledges submitted by the parties, known as "nationally determined contributions." While much attention has been paid to the role of nation states in implementing these pledges, the Paris regime also envisages a major role for non-state actors, including the private sector, in its implementation. Greenhouse gas emissions – and on-the-ground responses to climate change impacts – are often determined at the level of an individual business, a city, or a state/region, not primarily by national governments. To achieve its stated objectives, the Paris Agreement must enable and encourage further pledges, actions, and activities by non-state actors. This session will focus on how the practices of non-state actors can help give effect to international climate law. It will explore a range of initiatives by which non-state actors are implementing the Paris Agreement, including U.S. subnational and civil society responses to the Trump administration's decision to seek withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, new platforms for the aggregation of climate action by non-parties, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change "Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action," and the development of new standards for climate risk management by businesses and investors developed by the G20 and its Financial Stability Board's Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

Confirmed Speakers

Ashley Allen, Mars Inc.

Susan Biniaz, United Nations Foundation

Cinnamon Carlarne, Ohio State University School of Law (moderator)

Robert Orr, University of Maryland

Sue Reid, Ceres

Adjudicators, Negotiators, and the Evolution of Maritime Delimitation Law
The law of maritime delimitation, often qualified as "judge-made law," has been shaped to a large extent by international judges and arbitrators' interpretation of certain provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It is, therefore, case law that has helped reduce subjectivity and uncertainty in this field of international law, allowing at the same time for the evolution of the law of maritime delimitation. The panel addresses recent developments in the law of maritime delimitation, focusing on specific judgments and awards rendered over the past year, as well as the politics and negotiation of maritime delimitation agreements, including the recent conciliation between Timor-Leste and Australia.

Confirmed Speakers

Ronny Abraham, International Court of Justice

Damos Dumoli Agusman, Directorate General of International Law & Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia

Judge Jin-Hyun Paik, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

Allison Macdonald, Matrix Chambers

Alina Miron (moderator), Angers University Faculty of Law

Bernie Oxman, University of Miami School of Law

Rising Sea Levels and Disappearing Territories: Implications for Statehood, Migrants, and International Law
Rising sea levels pose a significant risk to many small island nations. At least 11 sovereign states are now classified as "disappearing." As large swathes of coastal territories become uninhabitable, these states have been forced to adapt to a variety of ecological, geographical, and humanitarian challenges. Many of the existing relevant legal instruments are ill-equipped to address these phenomena. Pursuant to the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, for example, states must possess a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. But can states exist in some form notwithstanding their failure to meet all of these requirements? Should states be encouraged to acquire new territory or "merge" with other states? And what are the implications of atypical conceptions of statehood on a state's capacity to conduct foreign relations? The current legal framework on refugees is also insufficient to adequately protect the millions of people who are being displaced as their territories disappear since it is unclear whether people who are forced to migrate due to climate change can be classified as refugees. The panel will consider how legal practitioners are improvising in this legal vacuum and the new legal instruments necessary to address the challenges faced by displaced persons.

Confirmed Speakers

Sumudu Atapattu, University of Wisconsin Center for International Sustainable Development Law

Alejandra Torres Camprubí, Foley Hoag, LLP

Andreas Kravik, Legal Advisor, Norwegian Mission to the United Nations

Bryce Rudyk, Alliance of Small Island Developing States (moderator)

The Future of International Trade Law Practice
The Trump Administration seeks to chart a new course for the international trade policy of the United States. Among his first decisions in office, the President withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, announced his intention to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and has ordered his Administration to identify "violations or abuses" of U.S. trade and investment agreements that are harming American workers and manufacturers. Among the goals for the renegotiated NAFTA, the United States has signaled that it may eliminate the inter-state dispute settlement mechanism for the agreement and increase reliance on domestic trade procedures for addressing regional trade disputes. On the domestic side, the President has ordered "enhanced" procedures for the collection and enforcement of antidumping and countervailing duties, imposed certain "safeguard" duties, and pursued the possibility of using domestic trade law tools to address national security issues. As these policies are implemented, questions arise as to the future for the practice of trade law. What will be the impact of the U.S. shift in its application of trade enforcement mechanisms? Also, with the rise of emerging economies juxtaposed with the difficulties of eliminating barriers to trade in parts of the global South, what will be the future for multilateral trade law and the World Trade Organization? This session will examine competing trends in international trade law practice from the perspective of states, private practitioners, international institutions, and other actors who seek to understand and prepare for a new trade law future.

Confirmed Speakers

To be confirmed

From Billions to Trillions: International Business in International Development
This session takes as a premise that the world's most pressing development problems cannot be solved by governments and civil society alone. Enter international business. International business has long been a target of efforts to promote the spread of and compliance with international human rights norms. International business has now emerged as a necessary player in the achievement of development goals. This roundtable discussion on legal issues in international business in development will consider: What legal vehicles are being used to achieve public-private partnerships and to what effect? What are the implications of business participation in the provision of goods and services most recently provided by states, international organizations, and civil society? What does public-private partnership mean for the already blurred boundary between public and private international law? Should the private sector be held accountable for social development in host countries?

Confirmed Speakers

Deborah Burand, New York University School of Law

Jonathan Ng, U.S. Agency for International USAID (moderator)

Elchi Nowrojee, The Carlyle Group

George Springsteen, IFC

Cynthia Trigo, Total S.A.

Human Rights and Finance: A New Social Contract for Finance
This roundtable explores the proposition that incorporating a human rights law perspective into the operations of the financial sector will produce both a more stable financial system and one that better serves the needs of all stakeholders in the financial system. The moderator will encourage participants to use specific examples drawn from their own practice. Practical examples that will serve to highlight different aspects of the relationship between human rights law and finance include the impact that the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations have had on remittance flows and human trafficking; the impacts of disclosure requirements under the U.S. Dodd-Frank Act and the UK's Modern Slavery Act on the behavior of institutional investors; the human rights implications of the Basel capital adequacy standards; and the role that international soft law standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the UN Conference on Trade and Development Principles on Promoting Responsible Sovereign Lending and Borrowing could play in the international financial system. This exchange will explore the costs and benefits to both finance and human rights of incorporating a human rights law perspective into the functioning of the financial system.

Confirmed Speakers

Daniel Bradlow, University of Pretoria (moderator)

Whitney Debevoise, Arnold & Porter, LLP

David Kinley, University of Sydney (moderator)

Siobhán McInerney-Lankford, World Bank Group

Anita Ramassastry, University of Washington School of Law

Nicolas Veron, Bruegel and Peterson Institute for International Economics

The Once and Future Law of Non-Discrimination: Revisiting Most Favored Nation and National Treatment
Non-discrimination is a foundational principle of international economic law. Its two facets, Most Favored Nation (MFN) and National Treatment (NT), are omnipresent in trade and investment treaties. However, modern trade and investment treaties have gone significantly further toward integrating the economies of the world. Since the 1990s, in the case of trade, "deep integration" treaties have purported to discipline even non-discriminatory domestic regulation—multilaterally, via the World Trade Organization (WTO), and more forcefully through regional agreements. Beginning even earlier, investment treaties have pushed beyond non-discrimination, inter alia through provisions guaranteeing investors fair and equitable treatment, full protection and security, and protection against expropriation. There are indications, however, that both regimes are re-centering around the bedrock principle of non-discrimination. States are showing interest in reverting to non-discrimination in their investment treaty practice, as reflected in the draft EU-Japan free trade agreement. And yet MFN and NT remain poorly understood. This session seeks to explore the implications of this potential return to non-discrimination in the trade and investment regimes—not only as a scholarly matter, but also from the practical perspectives of both treaty negotiation and international dispute resolution. The moderator-driven rapid response format aims at fostering a lively discussion.

Confirmed Speakers

Julian Arato, Brooklyn Law School (moderator)

Simon Batifort, Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle LLP

Emi Nagaoka, Baba & Sawada Law Office

Federico Ortino, King's College London

Jennifer Thornton, formerly Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Tania Voon, Melbourne University

International Law and the Global Governance of Migration
Refugee crises in the Middle East, Southern Europe, the Americas, and elsewhere have posed new challenges and highlighted deficiencies in existing international law. However, the broader issue of global migration engages a range of concerns, including human rights, labor standards, human trafficking, and climate change. This session will bring together practitioners and academics concerned with these and other dimensions of migration, to examine a series of interconnected questions: What institutions and regimes currently govern the global movement of migrants? How are they deploying international law and shaping its development to meet the demands associated with present day migration flows? Are these regimes fit for purpose to address the manifold problems associated with international migration today? How do and should they interact and evolve, given the potential for mission creep and overlapping mandates? Is it possible to delineate the outlines of an emergent "global migration law"? Is there a need for a new overarching treaty and/or organization to coordinate and unify the existing approaches?

Confirmed Speakers

Alex Aleinikoff, Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility, The New School, New York

Janie Chuang, American University Washington College of Law

Jean-Christophe Dumont, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

Michelle Leighton, International Labour Organization

Alice Thomas, Refugees International

Chantal Thomas, Cornell University Law School (moderator)

Rule-Making by International Organizations<
International organizations play an important role in the development of new international rules on global issues requiring concerted action. As well as providing a forum for the negotiation of new international treaties, international organizations are turning to other methods of rule-making, including the development of "soft law" standards which may have the same or even more impact in practice than "hard law." This session will look at how international organizations establish new international rules in practice, drawing on the experience of those who have been at the forefront of these processes and examining how their vision may differ from that of the commentator. In what way do international organizations drive the development of new international rules and how do they interact with new global governance mechanisms like the G20? How effective have international organizations been in their standard-setting function, both in terms of agreeing on norms and ensuring their implementation? To what extent is their rule-making activity legitimate – how are decisions made and who is able to exert influence over those decisions? To address these questions in a concrete way, the session will take a closer look at examples of rule-making by international organizations, including the development of standards to prevent tax avoidance and evasion by multinational enterprises and in the fight against corruption.

Confirmed Speakers

José Alvarez, New York University School of Law

Nicola Bonucci, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

Gian Luca Burci, Graduate Institute of Geneva (moderator)

Tomi Kohiyama, ILO

Mary Saunders, ANSI

The Security Council's "Women, Peace, and Security" Agenda in Practice
This roundtable asks what the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda looks like in practice. Who and where are the "real" practitioners of "Women, Peace and Security"? Former lawmaking power has remained with the UN Security Council since its establishment of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda with UNSCR 1325 in 2000, with the US and the UK leading the Security Council in creating and adopting a new generation of laws with resolutions encompassing sexual violence, political participation and countering violent extremism. From this perspective, WPS looks like a top-down agenda—but looking only at these "global governors" misses the innovative ways that 1325 is practiced from "below." Beyond the Security Council, the WPS agenda exists, changes, and adapts to diverse, less state-centric spaces—its active practitioners include the Colombian women fighting for meaningful participation in an historic peace process; the all-female Indian UN police force "enforcing" peace and security in Liberia; and academics forging dynamic hubs of scholars, activists, and policymakers in emerging "WPS centers." Who is governing whom? Roundtable participants will debate both how grassroots work informs and changes the WPS agenda, and how state-centric public international law relates to on-the-ground practice and innovation of these laws.

Confirmed Speakers

Christine Chinkin, London School of Economics (moderator)

To be confirmed

Operationalizing International Law: Beyond the State
This roundtable investigates the role of non-state actors in the operationalization of international law, focusing in particular—but not exclusively—on the adoption of two treaties—the Paris Agreement and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court—which established new legal and institutional frameworks. Non-state actors played a crucial role during the negotiation of these treaties and are likely to be involved in the way forward. Withdrawals or announcements of withdrawal from international treaties have generated a reaction by non-state actors affirming their commitment to the treaties' objectives and principles—for example, U.S. cities, states, businesses, tribes, and universities with regard to a U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, or local and international NGOs with regard to withdrawals from the Rome Statute. Participants will be asked to discuss the role that non-state actors could play in the operationalization of international agreements, especially when state actors fall short, are reluctant participants, or are even clearly opposed to international rules.

Confirmed Speakers

Elizabeth Evenson, Human Rights Watch

Stephen Mathias, United Nations Office of Legal Affairs

Elan Strait, World Wildlife Federation

Hélène Tigroudja, Aix-Marseille University (moderator)

Sarah Williams, University of New South Wales

Full Conference Registration

Attendees can expect to participate in:

Keynote addresses by leading figures in international law

More than 40 substantive panels on a wide variety of international law topics

Multiple networking and social events

Interest Group social events and substantive meetings

Access to the leading publishers of international law materials

Optional Continuing Legal Education credits

Optional luncheons--see below

Cancellations received on or before January 31, 2018 will be refunded 100% of your registration fee, less a $25 administrative fee to cover the cost of processing. Cancellations received between February 1 and April 3, 2018 will be refunded 50% of your registration fee, less a $25 administrative fee. No refunds will be available for cancellations made after April 3, 2018. All requests for cancellations must be directed to ASIL Services at services@asil.org.

ASIL Member Rate

Non-Member Rate

STANDARD REGISTRATION

Early Bird (On or before January 22, 2018)

$475

$665**

Standard (January 23 through April 1, 2018)

$580

$815**

On-Site (April 4 through April 7, 2018)

$690

$965**

ONE-DAY REGISTRATION

Early Bird (On or before January 22, 2018)

$350

$490

Standard (January 23 through April 1, 2018)

$405

$570

On-Site (April 4 through April 7, 2018)

$445

$655

ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION TYPES

GOV/IO/NGO Registration

Early Bird (On or before January 22, 2018)

$235

$425**

Standard (January 23 through April 1, 2018)

$350

$540**

On-Site (April 4 through April 7, 2018)

$480

$675**

Speaker Registration

$270

$365**

Student Registration*

$100

$125**

CLE Credit Processing

$50

$50

*To qualify for reduced rates, attendees are required to provide a valid proof of identification to registration staff at time of check-in.

Volunteer

ASIL Annual Meeting Volunteers

Work with the American Society of International Law at its 2017 Annual Meeting and take advantage of free access to more than 50 different substantive sessions on a wide variety of international law topics, as well as networking events and receptions.

Eligibility: Any current law student or new professional within three years of graduation

Requirements

Volunteers must be willing to:

Commit to at least two days and a total of 10 hours' work between April 4-7, 2018 (due to the number of applicants, those willing to do 15 or more hours have a higher chance of selection)

Arrive early and stay late on volunteer days

Follow ASIL staff instructions

Provide customer service to Annual Meeting Attendees

Stand for long periods of time, sometimes for more than an hour

Benefits
Volunteers receive:

Free registration to the entire Annual Meeting (except for separately ticketed events such as lunches and dinners)

Insider access to one of the largest international law conferences in North America

Volunteer Contact Information:

Name *

Preferred Name on Badge *

Email *

Current Year/Graduation Date *

Training Session

Volunteers will be assisting with scanning the badges of meeting attendees at individual sessions (used to record CLE credit) and will require a smart phone or tablet for this purpose. You must be able to bring your own smart device to use for this purpose – ASIL will not provide this for volunteers. Volunteers must make every effort to attend the volunteer training session on Wednesday, April 4, at 12 noon. Applicants able to make this training session will be given preference when selecting volunteers.

Wednesday Training

I will attend the Wednesday, April 4, 12 noon volunteer training session.

Schedule

Volunteers must agree to attend the Annual Meeting and assist ASIL for at least two days to serve as a volunteer. You must volunteer for at least three concurrent sessions (or two sessions and a reception/evening event) for a day to count towards the two day requirement.

Please select days and times for which you will be available.

Available Times *

Wednesday, April 4 [1:00 - 3:00 p.m.]

Wednesday, April 4 [3:00 - 4:30 p.m.]

Wednesday, April 4 [4:30 - 6:00 p.m.]

Thursday, April 5 [9:00 - 11:00 a.m.]

Thursday, April 5 [11:00 - 1:00 p.m.]

Thursday, April 5 [1:00 - 2:45 p.m.]

Thursday, April 5 [2:45 - 4:30 p.m.]

Thursday, April 5 [4:30 - 6:00 p.m.]

Friday, April 6 [9:00 - 11:00 a.m.]

Friday, April 6 [11:00 - 1:00 p.m.]

Friday, April 6 [1:00 - 3:00 p.m.]

Friday, April 6 [3:00 - 4:30 p.m.]

Friday, April 6 [4:30 - 6:00 p.m.]

Saturday, April 7 [9:00 - 10:30 a.m.]

Saturday, April 7 [11:00 - 12:30 p.m.]

ASIL Annual Meeting Frequently Asked Questions

REGISTRATION

What is included in my registration?
Fees include attendance to all program sessions, ASIL interest group meetings and social events, and evening receptions, as well as access to all exhibitor and sponsor displays. Meals are not provided with your registration fee. Ticketed luncheon events are an additional fee and must be purchased in advance.

Are hotel charges included in registration fees?
No, hotel charges are not included in the registration fee. Attendees must book their own hotel arrangements separately. ASIL has secured a block of rooms at the conference site, Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, located at 400 New Jersey Avenue NW. The guaranteed room rate, starting at $219.00, is available for rooms booked before the cut-off date of March 13, 2018. To make room reservations, click on the accommodations tab on the meeting website.

Are meals included in registration costs?
No, meals are not included in registration costs. Tickets must also be purchased separately for the WILIG Luncheon and the Hudson Medal Luncheon. These can be purchased during registration or afterward by logging into your account at asil.org/myaccount and click "My Events", or by contacting services@asil.org, however they must be purchased in advance of the meeting, on or before Monday, April 2, 2018.

What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellations received on or before January 31, 2018 will be refunded 100% of your registration fee, less a $25 administrative fee to cover the cost of processing. Cancellations received between February 1, and April 3, 2018 will be refunded 50% of your registration fee, less a $25 administrative fee. No refunds will be available for cancellations made after April 3, 2017. All requests for cancellations must be directed to ASIL Services at services@asil.org.

I received a notice for discounted/complimentary registration. How do I register?
For those who receive a promotional code to receive a discounted registration online, please follow the instructions on your notification. If you registered before you received your discount notice, please contact services@asil.org to request a modification of your registration fee.

Is my meeting registration tax deductible?
If the purpose of attending the ASIL Annual Meeting is to help you maintain or improve skills relating to employment or business, a portion of your conference expenses may be tax deductible according to IRS Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Reg. 1.162-5. The eligible deduction for this amount is generally limited. Please consult your tax adviser. You cannot deduct the cost of meals. No solicitation of any kind is allowed at the meeting. By registering to attend, you acknowledge this policy and agree that you will not advertise, represent, or distribute literature for products or services to our exhibitors, attendees or staff. Any attendee that violates this policy will forfeit their registration credentials.

Who qualifies for the Government, Non-governmental and International Organization Rate?
To qualify for the Government/NGO/IO rate, you must be a) a member of the American Society of International Law; b) a full-time employee of a U.S. or foreign government agency (federal, state, local or tribal) (government-supported universities or colleges, government contractors, and government consultants do not qualify); c) a full-time employee of a U.S. or foreign non-profit organization recognized by the United Nations; or d) a full-time employee of an organization designated by the President of the United States through Executive Order to qualify for the privileges, exemptions, and immunities provided in the International Organizations Immunities Act.

Do members of the media need to register?
Yes! Complimentary press registrations are available to those who meet ASIL's media accreditation guidelines. To request a complimentary press pass, please contact ASIL's communication team at communications@asil.org or (+1) 202.939.6019.

What are the on-site registration hours?
Registration will be open on site at the following times:

Where can I pick up my badge?
You will receive your badge upon check-in at the meeting. Your badge will be created using the name and affiliation information submitted in the online registration process.

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION (CLE)

Is CLE credit available for meeting sessions?
Yes, a number of the substantive panels at the ASIL Annual Meeting will be accredited for CLE. Sessions that are approved for CLE credit will be designated as such in the final program and in the meeting app. ASIL will obtain accreditation for all of the CLE sessions from Pennsylvania and Virginia. New York attorneys can gain automatic approval for CLE credits from the Annual Meeting through the Approved Jurisdictions policy. Attorneys from states recognizing out-of-state CLE credits in compliance with MCLE standards can obtain reciprocity for credits earned at the Meeting. There is a flat $50 fee for CLE registration for the Annual Meeting. You must include the CLE option during your registration to obtain the necessary credentials for CLE tracking.

How do I get CLE documentation?
ASIL uses a "Sign in/Sign out" tracking system for reporting CLE requirements. Every session accredited for CLE will have volunteers stationed at the entrance and exits. Individuals wishing to obtain CLE for attending that session MUST give their ASIL Annual Meeting badge number to the volunteer and sign in/sign out. Only individuals who sign in AND sign out of a session will be awarded CLE credit. During the conference, if you realize you forgot to sign in/sign out of a session, you may stop by the ASIL CLE table with a colleague who can verify your attendance and sign in/sign out.

Can ASIL still provide me with a Certificate of Attendance if I forgot to scan in and out?
No. State CLE reporting regulation prohibit ASIL from changing an attendance record after the event has ended, regardless of whether or not you can provide witnesses to your attendance.

Can I receive partial credit?
Credit shall be awarded only for attendance at an entire session. No credit shall be awarded for attending a portion of a session. You must attend all of a single session to receive credit. If you sign out of one session and into another, you cannot receive any CLE credit for either of those sessions.

What should I do if I believe my Certificate of Attendance shows an incorrect CLE credit or contains a typo?
Contact the ASIL via e-mail at cle@asil.org with the following:
1. Your contact information (name, phone, e-mail, and address)
2. The session title
3. What you believe to be incorrect (my name is misspelled, etc.)

Providing ASIL with this information will allow us to respond back to you quickly. Please remember that ASIL may not change any sign in/sign out times after the Meeting has ended.

How do I get my CLE certificate of attendance form?
Following the Meeting, ASIL will process all of the attendee records that contain scan in and scan out times for CLE sessions. ASIL will email every individual with a complete CLE record and ask for certain information (state(s) licensed, attorney id numbers, etc.) to be provided in an online survey form. Individuals who respond to that survey will receive their CLE certificate of attendance.

Does my state require me to take continuing legal education courses?
In the United States, the vast majority of states require lawyers to take mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) courses in order to practice law. Find out about your state's MCLE requirements on the American Bar Association website http://www.americanbar.org/cle/mandatory_cle.html.

TRANSPORTATION/GENERAL

Will Internet/wifi access be available at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill during the Annual Meeting?
Yes, Internet/wifi access will be available at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill with the password "ASIL2018."

What is the dress code for the ASIL Annual Meeting?
Business attire is recommended for all conference sessions, the exhibit hall and receptions.

What is the weather in Washington, DC during April?The average daytime temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 C) with evening lows of 45 degrees (7 C). Precipitation is minimal.

Is the hotel metro accessible?
The Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill is metro accessible via the Union Station (red line) metro station two blocks away.

What is the phone number for the hotel?
To make reservations by phone, please call (+1) 888-421-1442.

Can I extend my stay in Washington at the discounted ASIL rate?
If you would like to arrive in Washington before the start of the conference, or to stay in Washington after the conference ends, you should call the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in order to make your reservation. The ASIL room rate is not available outside of the conference dates. Please call 1-888-421-1442 for assistance in making a reservation inside the ASIL room block and for your additional nights.

Which airports should I fly into/out of for the conference?
The closest airports to Washington, D.C. are:
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) – 5 miles from hotel
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) – 30 miles from hotel
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) – 32 miles from hotel

What is the best method to get from the airport/train station to the conference hotel?
It depends on the airport you use to come to Washington, DC.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA):
There is an elevated Metrorail station connected to the airport. Metrorail fare cards may be purchased at machines located at all entrances to the Airport Metrorail station. Take the Yellow Line train in the direction of Fort Totten. At the Gallery Place metro station, transfer to the Red Line in the direction of Glenmont and exit at the Union Station metro station. To learn about the Washington DC Metro System, go to www.wmata.com.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD):
Travel from the airport to the city is available via Washington Flyer Coach Service. The shuttle will take you non-stop to Metro's West Falls Church Station. From there, connect via Metro to the Union Station metro station, two blocks from the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. The Washington Flyer Coach Service website, http://www.washfly.com/coach.html provides more information on their services.

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI):
The airport is located right outside of Baltimore, MD. The best way to get to the hotel is to take a Marc Train to Union Station (two blocks from the hotel). Visit http://mta.maryland.gov/marc-train for more information about Marc Trains.

Taxis and rental cars are also available from all airports.

Train Station:
Trains enter into Washington, DC via Union Station (two blocks from the hotel). Taxis are also available at Union Station.

Is there parking at the hotel? What is the cost of parking? (TP)
There is limited parking available at the hotel. Valet parking is $52 daily for hotel guests. Conference attendees not staying at the hotel may valet park at an hourly rate. There is no self-parking at this hotel.

*All rates are quoted in USD.

What is the estimated cost of ground transportation from the airport to the hotel?

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA):
Taxi - $20.00 one way
Shared Ride Van Service $14.00 one way (www.supershuttle.com)

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD):
Taxi - $60 one way
Shared Ride Van Service $29.00 one way (www.supershuttle.com)

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI):
Taxi - $90 one way
Shared Ride Van Service $37.00 one way (www.supershuttle.com)

SIGHTSEEING

What tourist attractions are available near the conference?

The ASIL Annual Meeting will take place in the heart of Washington, DC, just steps to the National Mall and the city's many museums, monuments, and other attractions. Suggestions of activities near the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill are available here: http://washingtonregency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/activities.html